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My Thailand And Why I Love It.


IanForbes

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I"ve been coming to Thailand since 1996 when my second marriage in Canada ended. I stay for 5 months of the year from November until April and get the best of both worlds. I've learned a lot in that time and I've come to love Thailand with all its beauty and even its problems. I make Chiang Mai my home away from home, and I stay in a clean, but inexpensive Thai hotel 2 kilometers from the Chiang Mai gate at the southern end of the moat. This is going to be a travelogue of pictures. Please feel free to add yours to the mix. If someone has slow dial up internet I suggest not clicking on this post. I"ll break it up into many parts.

Chiang Mai is a medium size city of about 250,000 people, but outlying towns bring the total population closer to one million. The inner city is surrounded by a moat that is one mile square. There are still remnants of the ancient city and its brick walls. It is a reasonably clean city with all modern conveniences: international airport, modern hospitals, university, world class dentists and a broad range of accommodation and dining. It is also one of the less expensive cities to take up residence. English is spoken most everywhere.

The lovely moat and its 6 kilometer walking path around the perimeter.

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Thailand treasures its trees and Chiang Mai is evidence of that. They have even altered the direction of some roads to preserve a magnificent tree.

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Chiang Mai lies in a fertile river valley in central northern Thailand. The large Ping River flows along the eastern edge of the city and high mountains lie on the western edge of the city. The airport lies near the south west corner of the city.

The Ping River

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The temple near the top of Doi Suthep is just under the plane taking off from the airport.

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On a clear day there is a magnificent view of the city from the temple at Doi Suthep

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Your Thailand ... mind if I borrow it a bit while you're stuck in Canada? I know: best of both worlds, etc. ... My photo of the Chinag Mai Province Mae Ya waterfall:

Yah, you can borrow "My Thailand" while I'm away. :lol: I'm already missing my friends, but I'm too busy finishing up my book to worry too much about it.

That is a gorgeous falls when it's full of water, jazzbo. I haven't been there for a while and all my photos of it are on prints. I will have to copy them with my scanner.

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Great ... I know LOTS of people finishing boioks including NYTimes best-selling author Fran Lebowitz:

(as interviewed in TIME Magazine):

Are you not working on anything at the moment?

Well, I have two half-finished books. One is a half-finished novel that I say I made an original contract for in 1981. Then I have a half-finished other book, nonfiction, the purpose of which was originally to get me just to write a book. I think that is probably five years late. I did try to sell my truly indulgent publisher on the idea that I have two half-finished books. We could just take the done half of the novel and then half the other book — then I have a book.

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The central part of Chiang Mai is a vibrant city that offers something for everyone. There are two main shopping malls and a large Chinese market with a den of activity. Unfortunately, parking is at a premium and it's easier walking than driving. There are too many temples within the city to mention them all.

You can get lost in the labyrinth of little shops in the Chinese market area.

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And places like Thai Pei Gate might be quiet during the day but come alive during the weekend night market and during festivals.

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Great ... I know LOTS of people finishing boioks including NYTimes best-selling author Fran Lebowitz:

(as interviewed in TIME Magazine):

Are you not working on anything at the moment?

Well, I have two half-finished books. One is a half-finished novel that I say I made an original contract for in 1981. Then I have a half-finished other book, nonfiction, the purpose of which was originally to get me just to write a book. I think that is probably five years late. I did try to sell my truly indulgent publisher on the idea that I have two half-finished books. We could just take the done half of the novel and then half the other book — then I have a book.

:lol: :lol:

There are lots of us like that. :D I have about 2000 words to go and a bunch of illustrations to complete it. I hope to finish it this summer. Good luck with yours.

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I'm not writing any book ... I try to be able to get my intentions across with a few chosen paragraphs ...

I take the approach as with the adage of Mark Twain (whether he actually wrote it or not): "I did not have time to write you a one-page letter so I wrote to you a two page letter." That way my comments get published on several international UN Observer websites.

Brevity ... you should try it sometime.

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Ian, I am starting to understand why certain posters have issue with your posts. You love life. You only live in places that you enjoy and avoid places that you do not and you have a generally positive outlook. Maybe you should do more moaning and whinging so that you will fit in better on the forum  :ermm:

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Ian, I am starting to understand why certain posters have issue with your posts. You love life. You only live in places that you enjoy and avoid places that you do not and you have a generally positive outlook. Maybe you should do more moaning and whinging so that you will fit in better on the forum :ermm:

It's because he wears white socks

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Hate to break the news....but it will never be 'your' Thailand and Thailand does NOT care about its trees..... absolutely not.....

Just the facts........nice pics though regardless.

Edited by Nawtier
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And Chiang Mai, like most Thai cities, has almost too many inexpensive restaurants to choose from.What is better than sharing a meal with good friends and listening to world class muscians playing only a few feet away. Jazz, the blues, hillbilly rock and disco are all there for the price of a beer. Pick your poison... it's all there.

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Of course, you can always go out any night to one of the food markets for a variety of meals and watch someone whip up a tasty dish within minutes.

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I prefer to live a little out of the heart of the city where it's a little more laid back. My Thai hotel room is clean, comfortable and inexpensive, and It sits on the banks of a Klong (small stream) that is attached to a small pond where locals come to fish. It makes for a constant source of photos... including wildlife. It's not unusual to see wandering cattle slowing down the traffic.

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The locals mostly catch orgami and small tilapia in their dipnets.

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Other anglers hunt with crossbows and hope for larger species like the common snakehead

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There are dozens (hundreds?) of tourist companies that arrange day trips or multi-day trips. Even the many tuk tuks will offer a day trip to one of the nearby sites. And, most of the tuk tuk drivers in Chiang Mai are NOT like the ill manner tuk tuk drivers of Phuket who act more like crooks. For a reasonable cost you can get a tuk tuk to show you all over the city and get an idea what is available. The one way streets can be a bit confusing to a tourist.

For about 1500 baht you can get a trip to an elephant farm, a swim in a waterfall pool, a visit to a hill tribe and a bamboo rafting trip all in one day.

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You can treck up to a mountain village and watch women weave clothing place matts using the old fashioned method on wooden looms

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ALL of Ian's Thailand pictures -- and I mean A-L-L of the pictures, not just the ones he wants you to see on TV -- are available on his website:

http://gallery.fishbc.com/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=album209

.. and there are also a lot of fish pictures.

... and ain't it always those last 2000 words or that last half chapter that is always the reason why the book isn't finished ... Ms. Lebowitz would be proud.

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